I'm searching for a power amplifier to pair with a McIntosh c712 preamp and Zu Omen Def speakers. I want it to be melodic and clear (not mellow and round) and with a good soundstage, capable of filling my big living room (12m x 6m) with powerful party levels sound - not necessarily ear splitting levels. Nearby I can purchase a First Watt M2, a McIntosh MC7150 or an Ampzilla 2000 (stereo) for a good price. I cant audition them at home with my system, so besides my personal opinion on the sound at the different shops, what do you have to say regarding these three models? Any of them is better than the others? Better sound? Better reliability? Any opinions?

I can't tell you much about the last 2 amps you mentioned, but I'd bet money the M2 uses the same transistors found in the F5. I'm jamming a lot more power through the same devices Nelson used and they're very reliable. You'll never have problems with that M2, and if you do, the parts are easy to get. I'd call it extremely reliable.

The F5 has a bit more provision for voicing and dialed to it's least distortion figure is cold and analytical. The M2 avoids that with the autoformer gain stage and no feedback. I'm getting a 32 wpc out of my F5 for 92dB/V Focals and it's plenty muscular. You're not going to reduce it to smoke driving it too hard, and it's very doubtful you ever would with your speakers.

The only possible down side with the M2 would be hum. Not all of Nelson's amps are dead quiet and the M2 uses the same transformer and bipolar 24V supply you find in every PP First Watt amp. Usually they're real quiet. Mine, however, has some very mild hum. I did build it myself though, and Nelson arranges his innards differently than I did.

The McIntosh will give you a slightly mellow sound, the Ampzilla is a powerful and excellent sounding amp and the designer was one of the Audio greats. The First Watt are low powered Class A amps. Never have heard the First Watt, I would go with the Ampzilla, and this is coming from a Mac guy.

I recommend an F7, those 20w go a long way, and it will be more resolving/less rounded sounding than the M2 (which I have been told is more like the aleph 30 I had than the F7). I run it into DeVore speakers, not as efficient as your Zus and I never have an issue with volume in my large room.

The M2 has been my only amp for the past 3 years, and paired with my Spendor 1/2s and AI Modulus 3B (or Quicksilver Pre), it is an astonishingly good sounding component. It does everything well, imo, and will reflect accurately what is upstream, whether it be the source or pre, etc. It creates 28W and will rock your Zus, guaranteed. The one caveat is that Nelson Pass specifies its noise w/o signal at 500uv, whereas the other First Watt amps are slightly quieter. The music mine makes, though, outweighs this minor fact, though...it is a keeper.

I think your Zu Omen Def speaker can easily go with tubes. My tube amp Cayin CS-100A KT88 has about 70watts p/c and is very dynamic and clear with a little bit warmth. With your efficient speakers you will be able to make party. It is not necessary to have 200 or more watts. The quality is more important than the power.

i had the m2 with double impacts..dumbest move ever to sell it..perfection... i also had a sit-2 and j2..allllll amazing..im about to re-buy a sit-2...the most perfect solid state amp ive ever heard...

Thank you all for the inputs. I had to put this issue on standby for a while and when I got back to it, I followed a different path. Bought a pair of monoblocks from Temple Audio and I'm very happy with the result. Everything I was looking for, I found it in these little boxes. They output 100W in class D and the sound - signal coming from the McIntosh C712 preamp and going to the Zu Omen Def - is fantastic! Clear, powerful, amazing soundstage at a very affordable price.